According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the US government is investigating Tesla over its self-driving electric vehicles.
NHTSA quoted Tesla's “Smart Summon” and “Actuary Smart Summon” allow users to remotely relocate certain vehicles via a phone app. The agency said the feature contributed to the crash, saying, “The reaction time is too short for the user to avoid a collision by clearing their field of vision or releasing a button on the phone app, and the vehicle's movement is slow. “Stop.”
The agency said Monday an investigation into the capabilities of Actuarial Smart Summon was launched in connection with the alleged crash. The agency said it will evaluate factors such as “the maximum speed a vehicle can achieve while Actuarial Smart Summon is activated.”
Tesla recently reported that its annual vehicle deliveries declined for the first time in at least nine years, despite an increase in annual vehicle deliveries during the fourth quarter of 2024. Last week, the company announced it delivered 1,789,226 vehicles worldwide last year, slightly below its reported deliveries for 2023. 1,808,581 vehicles.
Tesla, owned by tech billionaire and President-elect Trump ally Elon Musk, saw its stock price rise significantly following his victory in the 2024 presidential election.
Mr. Musk strongly supported Mr. Trump's candidacy for the presidential election, supporting Mr. Trump following the assassination attempt on the president-elect in July. He also appeared at Trump's rallies and launched America PAC, a pro-Trump super PAC.
The Hill has reached out to Tesla for comment.
